Overview

Goshena: Queen of the Big In-Betweena addresses questions of death and the afterlife with jest and satire, proposing alternative views on a subject that is often taboo. This surrealistic story features the volatile and unpredictable Goshena, hired to greet the newly deceased. Goshena's most recent assignment is to welcome Soul #24, a recalcitrant soul who refuses to accept that he has died and has reasons to return to the Living. But will he go with Goshena? Or will he pass his death quiz and move toward the Light?

Characters

GET OUT OF YOUR COFFIN, SILLY!

Goshena

Goshena rules the Big In-Betweena, or the space between life and death, with an iron fist. It is Goshena's job to snatch as many newly deceased souls as possible and throw them straight into Hell. She's cunning. She's crafty. She's funny. She's whacky. And you won't soon forget her once you meet the volatile and unpredictable Queen Goshena.

Soul #24

I didn’t know Goshena knew how to read.

Soul #24

Being so newly dead his wheels haven't left the ground, Soul #24 is a recent arrival in Goshena's Big In-Betweena. His complete refusal to accept his death and move on does not make Goshena happy. Through his reluctance he is a challenge for Goshena. He must ultimately decide whether to accept his death, take and pass his death quiz and move on to the higher levels of death, or chuck it all and go home to Hell with Goshena.

The Fog

The Fog

Mr. Fog as he is sometimes addressed is the powerful Greek chorus in the story. It is his responsibility to comment, through his strictly non-verbal actions, on the conversations and behaviors of all of the characters. He has a love-hate relationship with Goshena since they both must occupy the Big In-Betweena, and get their work done.

Jingles

Slurrrrp!

Jingles

Jingles is Goshena's giant soul-eating pet frog. He accompanies her wherever she goes. Jingles is often fed souls unfortunate enough to fall into Goshena's grasp. But all is not lost. Jingles simply regurgitates them and starts all over again. Welcome to Hell.

Stanley

…You can’t stay here, you have to go somewhere.

Stanley

Stanley is Goshena's counterpart in the Light. It is his responsibility to guide souls gently away from Goshena's clutches and lead them to the Light. He is a gentle soul and the only person Goshena trusts. He has a terrific relationship with her and is also the only person to have any level of patience with Goshena, who has a tremendous crush on Stanley and makes it known every chance she gets.

Girly

I only want witnesses who will swear I wasn’t even there the night Eli and Pastor Transgressel died! Find someone who will swear I was kidnapped by cannibals!

Girly

Girly is one of the few living characters in the story. She is the person whom #24 continues to hear chatting with her relatives about her upcoming murder trial, which she shrugs off as more or less a case of mistaken identity-hers. Girly knows Goshena through chats during her avid use of the Quija board with her twin sister Shirly. Girly is Cutsie's daughter.

Cutsie

If you think my daughter is going to the chair for murdering that retarded son of yours, you’re wrong!

Cutsie

Cutsie is the mother, formerly father, of Girly and Shirly. Cutsie is the dubious voice of reason in the Leap household. But the extraordinarily impatient Cutsie is on to Girly and is making plans to cash in on Girly's ultimate infamy.

De'Evil

Here are his particulars. You’ll find him in drawer 24.

De'Evil

De'Evil is Goshena's boss. Plain and simple he makes a cameo and sticks around just long enough to give Goshena her instructions to help #24 out of his coffin. But Goshena doesn't trust De'Evil. His present instructions are not in Goshena's job description and he is a middle manager in Hell. Who would trust him?